Child {40 s coaster

ABSTRACT

In toy coasters a foot driven steering rear element and a rigid elongated platform for supporting the left foot are provided both the front sections of the rigid base and pivotable rear steering element being provided with wheeled frames having means for regulating the amplitude of the angular displacement of the foot driven steering element.

United States Patent [191 Bueno [5 1 CHILD 's COASTER [76] Inventor: Aldaberto Costa De Campos Bueno,

Rua Proffesor Paulino Longo, Sao Paulo Sp., Brazil [22] Filed: Aug. 16, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 281,059

[52] US. Cl. 280/87.04 A, 280/87.04 R [5]] Int. Cl B62k 9/00 [58] Field of Search 280/87.04 A, 87.04 R

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,023,022 2/1962 Boyden 280/8704 R Nov. 13, 1973 3,153,543 10/1964 Magyar 280/7.l3 3,288,251 11/1966 Sakna 280/8704 A 3,522,953 8/1970 Gold et a1. 280/8704 R X Primary Examiner--Leo Friaglia Att0rney-Michael S. Striker 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CHILD 's COASTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in toy coasters and more specifically to steerable childs coasters consisting of a two-part partially superimposed structure, each part being engaged by one foot.

As it is known by those skilled in the art, there are many kinds of toys and sport equipment in which required high body equilibrium ability must be developed to keep standing over rolling or sliding elements without the help of steering and supporting means other than the balancing movement of the occupants body.

There are also known coasters and toy scooters, on which the child finds enough supporting room for his whole body and manual steering devices.

It is the main object of this invention to provide an improved toy coaster, by which the challenge of maintenance of equilibrium is added to the advantages of steering without the use of hands while eliminating the danger of bone breaking falls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The coaster of this invention is essentially constituted by a fixed base frame for supporting the left foot set ahead, and a rotary circular rear base for the right foot, the fixed frame acting as main supporting platform for the users body weight and the rotary element also as foot controlled steering means.

These and other advantages of this invention will become evident at the light of the enclosed drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof while not limiting its scope:

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOFTHE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved toy coaster of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a top view being shown in dotted lines the limit-positions of the steered platform, and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the toy coaster being ridden by a child.

In the accompanying drawings it is shown that the toy coaster of this invention is constituted of an elongated base platform 1, formed of wood, plastic material or others, provided with upper guides 2, said guides edging the tapered front portion 3 of said platform 1.

Under the side front portion 3 a wheeled frame is formed by a supporting block 6, secured in place by threaded studs or other fastening elements 7 and by two roller wheels 4 mounted on a swingable shaft 5, passing through said supporting block 6. At the rear portion of the said platform 1 is provided a freely superimposed wheeled steering member formedby a circular foot supporting platform 9 slightly overhanging from the rear of the said platform 1, provided with a wheel supporting axle 8 extending transversely under the said base platform 1, whose ends are provided with roller wheels 11 and two bearing blocks 12 having semicircular recesses to partially abut the said axle 8, being the whole wheeled frame fastened together by means of the screw 13 while it is pivotally secured to the said base platform 1 by the central bolt 10.

To make possible the steering of the coaster from straight line path (as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3) the occupant, assuming a standing position with the left foot on the front portion of the base platform 1 and the right one on the pivotable rear platform 9 (FIG. 4) will have to turn this latter as much as desired through the action of the right foot the platform 9 being provided with lateral opposite bolts 14 engageable with the platform 1 to regulate the amplitude of the said angular movement from an inner limit-positioning in which the said base platform 1 will be fixed orthogonally in regard of shaft 8, forming, thus, a rigid unit, simplifying the mastering of the coaster's use for unskilled occupants.

In order to increase the friction between the occupants feet and the supporting surfaces of the toy coaster of this invention, they are covered with elastomeric material 15 in relief printing (FIG. 1), avoiding their slipping off during coasting.

From the foregoing description and attached drawings all the advantages of this invention from the functional and security view-point will be apparent, namely:

Provision of a greater supporting area, facilitating the equilibrium of the users body;

Elimination of fastening straps or clamps thus allowing an immediate jumping of the occupant off the running toy, if necessary, to avoid accidents and falls;

The steering action is achieved without the use of hands or shifting of the occupants body, by a mere turning of the right foot pressing on the pivotable rear platform;

Improved stability is assured by means of the eccentric assembly of the steering element relative to the underlying wheel supporting axle.

It is obvious that numberless structural changes may be introduced in the coaster of this invention which was herein illustrated in its preferred embodiment, without going beyond the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. A childs coastercomprising a rigid elongated platform for supporting the occupants left foot in advanced position, said platform having a wheeled front frame including a wheel supporting tranverse axle, a longitudinally fixed supporting block and two roller wheels at the ends of said axle, a pivotable circular rear platform partially superimposed on the rear end of said rigid platform for supporting the occupants right foot, said pivotable platform being provided with a wheeled frame including a wheel supporting axle transversely extending under said fixed platform and projecting beyond both sides thereof and having a roller wheel at each end, said platform being kept in place by two opposite supporting blocks fixed to the underside thereof and by means of an upright pivot.

2. A childs coaster as in claim 1 in which the said rigid platform is provided with an upstanding peripheral rail at its front edge and wherein the upper surfaces of said platform are rough to promote friction.

3. A childs coaster as in claim 1 in which said rear wheeled frame is eccentrically fixed under said pivotable rear platform, the pivot axis being offset rearwardly from the center of said pivotable rear platform.

4. A childs coaster as in claim 1 in which the degree of angular movement of said pivotable rear platform is selectively regulated by means of oppositely facing threaded bolts orthogonally aligned relative to the center line of the rigid platform, said belts extending from opposite apertures provided in said parallel supporting blocks of the wheeled rear frame. 

1. A child''s coaster comprising a rigid elongated platform for supporting the occupant''s left foot in advanced position, said platform having a wheeled front frame including a wheel supporting tranverse axle, a longitudinally fixed supporting block and two roller wheels at the ends of said axle, a pivotable circular rear platform partially superimposed on the rear end of said rigid platform for supporting the occupant''s right foot, said pivotable platform being provided with a wheeled frame including a wheel supporting axle transversely extending under said fixed platform and projecting beyond both sides thereof and having a roller wheel at each end, said platform being kept in place by two opposite supporting blocks fixed to the underside thereof and by means of an upright pivot.
 2. A child''s coaster as in claim 1 in which the said rigid platform is provided with an upstanding peripheral rail at its front edge and wherein the upper surfaces of said platform are rough to promote friction.
 3. A child''s coaster as in claim 1 in which said rear wheeled frame is eccentrically fixed under said pivotable rear platform, the pivot axis being offset rearwardly from the center of said pivotable rear platform.
 4. A child''s coaster as in claim 1 in which the degree of angular movement of said pivotable rear platform is selectively regulated by means of oppositely facing threaded bolts orthogonally aligned relative to the center line of the rigid platform, said belts extending from opposite apertures provided in said parallel supporting blocks of the wheeled rear frame. 